Surgical outcomes in concurrent sickle cell and diabetic retinopathy

Abstract

To report the clinical features and outcomes in eyes that underwent vitreoretinal surgery for complications of concurrent sickle cell retinopathy (SR) and diabetic retinopathy (DR). Retrospective, consecutive case series of all eyes that underwent vitreoretinal surgery for complications secondary to concurrent SR and DR between 1/1/2014 and 12/31/2021. The study included 20 eyes of 14 patients. Indications for surgery included tractional retinal detachment (TRD) in 12 (60%) eyes, combined TRD/rhegmatogenous retinal detachment in 6 (30%) eyes, and vitreous hemorrhage in 2 (10%) eyes. Pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) was performed in all eyes. One eye received a scleral buckle at the same time as PPV. There was no change in mean BCVA at last follow-up examination (1.5 [20/678]) when compared to mean preoperative BCVA (1.6 [20/762], P = 0.83). Preoperative BCVA correlated with postoperative BCVA at last follow-up examination in eyes with retinal detachment (r = 0.49, P = 0.04). Single operation anatomic success was achieved in 11 of 17 (65%) eyes with retinal detachment. Functional and anatomic outcomes after surgery in eyes with concurrent SR and DR are relatively poor.